Onion topper and slicer

ABSTRACT

An onion topper and slicer of improved design is provided wherein the onions are impaled on a single blade normally protected by a telescoping sheath. The sheath steadies the onion prior to engagement of the impaling knife and serves to remove the onion after a topping and slicing operation have been completed.

[451 Aug. 20, 1974 United States Patent Reed 2,246,896 6/1941 Polk, Sr.et 99/538 2,974,699 99/636 3/1961 Boles etal.

ONION TOPPER AND SLICER [75] Inventor: Frank E. Reed, Salt Lake City,Utah [73] Assignee: Rogers Brothers Company, Idaho Falls, Idaho PrimaryExaminerLeon G. Machlin Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Robert G. Slick 22Filed: Aug. 16, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 281,149

[57] ABSTRACT An onion topper and slicer of improved design is providedwherein the onions are impaled on a single blade normally protected by atelescoping sheath. The sheath steadies the onion prior to engagement ofthe 'impaling knife and serves to remove the onion after a 826d 4/02,A23n 15/02 [52] US. [51] Int. Cl. [58] Field of Search........

topping and slicing operation have been completed.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 430,299 6/1890 30/368 3Claims, 4 Drawing Figures ONION TOPPER AND SLICER SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION Onion topping and slicing machines have been proposed in thepast wherein the onion is impaled on a pair of knives, the roots andcrown are severed while the onion is thus impaled and wherein a camserves to remove the impaled onion after a desired cutting operation.

The device of the present invention provides a generally improvedstructure wherein a single impaling knife is employed to hold the onionwhile the slicing operation is conducted. This results in an onion ofhigher quality, since the multiple cuts in the surface of the onion areavoided. Thus, in accordance with the present invention only a singleimpaling cut is made in the onion and this is made by a tiny knife-likemember so that the quality of the onion is not degraded.

In accordance with the present invention a tubular sheath normallysurrounds the impaling device'and this sheath first contacts the onionas the impaling device approaches the onion. Thus, pressure from thesheath holds the onion in place as the impaling device enters the onion,resulting in a positive penetration and permitting the use of a verysmall impaling device.

The sheath of the present invention also serves to dislodge the onionafter a desired cutting operation has been performed and this is done ina gentle but positive manner since the sheath bears on a relativelylarge area of the onion during the dislodging operation.

In accordance with the present invention the onions are held in a cup ofimproved shape which could be described as a truncated spherical shellwith side bands, so that the onion is supported in an optimum mannerduring the impaling and slicing operations.

Various features of the invention will additionally be brought out inthe balance of the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side view of a machineembodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the device shown in I FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawingsby reference characters, the topping and slicing device of the presentinvention includes a series of cups generally designated 6 carried onendless chain 8, passing over sprockets 10 and 12. The chain 8 iscarried on a first guide rail 14 which is substantially horizontal and asecond guide rail 16 which is inclinedat a slight angle to the guiderail 14 Mounted over chain 8 on sprockets l9 and 21 is a second endlesschain 18 carrying a series of impaling devices generally designated 20which will be described in detail hereinafter. The bottom run of chain18 is inclined with respect to guide rail 14 and is generally parallelto guide rail 16 for the bottom chain. Thus, it

forms a converging path with chain lying on guide rail 14 and a parallelpath with chain on guide rail 16. Both the lower chain 8 and the upperchain 18 are driven in synchronism by means of a prime mover 22-.

The cups 6 consist of a spherical bottom section 24 with bars 26 at eachside thereof so that the onions are firmly supported on the cups.Onions, as at 28 are placed on the conveyor either by hand or by aloader mechanism which forms'no part of the present invention.

The impaling device, generally designated 20 is shown in detail in FIG.3. The impaling device is carried on a support member 30 mounted onadjacent links of the chain 18. The bottom of support member 30 is at aslight angle to the chain 30 so that the impaling device 20 is held in asubstantially vertical position while the chain 18 runs at an angle tohorizontal as is best seen in FIG. 1. Support member 30 carries theimpaling device proper which consists of a base member 32 to which isattached shaft 34 terminating in a single, sharp point 36. Surroundingthe shaft 34 is a first tube 38 with a second tube 40 of smallerdiameter mounted to telescope therein, preferably on Teflon bushings 42.Tube 40 preferably has an intumed shoulder 41 to increase the area ofcontact with an onion. A compression spring 44 normally urges the tube4.0 outwardly where it is restrained on the abutting shoulders 4.6. Inits fully extended position, as is shown in FIG. 3, the tip of theimpaling knife 36 is completely within tube 40.

the reciprocating member 56. The reciprocating member 56 is attached toan eccentric 58 so that the bars are given an up and down motion. Eachof the cutting knives has a shield 60 thereon and a cutting blade 62.The shields 60 slant outwardly when viewed from the direction of oniontravel so that as an onion enters between the shields, it tends tospread the arms apart due to the flexibility of the arms 52 and themountings 54 so that the knives 62 contact the root and crown of theonion regardless of the onion size, so that a minimum of usable onion issliced off. Normally the first set of knives 48 will be set to removethe root and crown while the second set of knives 50 will be set toslice the onion. If it is not desired to slice the onion but merely toremove the root and crown the second set of knives 50 may be omitted. Onthe other hand, more sets of knives can be included if it is desired toslice the onion into more slices.

The overall operation of the machine will now be deerallydesignated 20move in synchronism and when they reach the position shown at 20A, theextreme outer portion of the tubular member 40 will contact the onionand hold it firmly between the cup and the tubular member. As the onionsmove further to the position shown .at 208, the tubular member 40 isforcedto retract by pressure from the onion and the impaling blade isforced into the onion. As the onions move further along the path, theyare fully impaled when the two paths become parallel, i.e., when chain 8is supported on the guide rails 16. Now the slicing operation of theknives 48 and 50 takes place while the onions are fully impaled. Afterthe slicing operation has taken place and the onions move further downthe line, chain 18 passes over the lower sprocket 21 and at this pointthe spring 44 can now urge tubular member 40 outwardly as is shown in20C so that the impaling device 36 is pulled out of the onion by theforce exerted by the tubular member 40. The onion thus discharged fromthe impaling member can be collected in a suitable bin as at 56. Theimpaling device 20 is now carried around on the chain for a repetitionof the cycle.

Many variations can be made in the exact structure shown withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention. For instance, the lowerchain run carrying the cups has been shown as moving in two differentpaths, one horizontal and one at a slight angle, while the upper chainrun carrying the impaling devices has been shown as parallel to thelatter path. This situation could be reversed since the upper chain runcarrying the impaling devices could be broken into angular paths whilethe lower chain run carrying the cups is straight. Obviously the samerelationship could thus be achieved between the impaling devices and thecups. Further, spring means have been shown as urging the telescopingtubular member outwardly but other means such as pneumatic or hydraulicpressure could be used for this purpose.

I claim:

1. An onion cutting machine of the type wherein onions are impaled on aknife and held on a conveyor and advanced through a cutting device anddischarged, comprising in combination:

a. a first endless chain carrying a plurality of onion holding cups in adesired path,

b. a second endless chain mounted above said first endless chain andcarrying a number of corresponding impaling devices mating with saidonion holding cups,

c. said endless chains having a first path entering said machine whereinsaid paths converge, a second path wherein said paths run parallel toeach other and a third path wherein said paths diverge from each other,

d. each of said impaling devices comprising a single onion impalingknife, a movable sheath surrounding each knife and resiliently urgedoutwardly beyond the tip of said knife and retractable to a positionwherein the blade of said knife extends beyond said sheath,

e. means whereby onions can be placed in said onion cups and advancedinto said machine so that said sheath first contacts an onion in amating cup and steadies it and is retracted relative to said knife andsaid knife penetrates said onion as said paths further converge,

f. said knife holding said onion in said cups during the second pathwhen the paths are parallel to each other,

g. cutting means adjacent to said parallel paths whereby onions held insaid cups and impaled on said knives are cut on said cutting means, and

h. discharge means at the third portion of said path whereat said pathsdiverge and said sheath pushes outwardly on said onion, pushing theonion from said knife to discharge said onion.

2. An onion cutting machine as in claim 1, wherein the blade has a baseend and a tip end, the sheath comprises a pair of telescoping tubesdisposed in coaxial, surrounding relationship to the blade, one of saidtubes disposed at the tip end of said blade and movable relative theretoand the other of said tubes disposed at the base end of the blade andfixed relative thereto.

3. An onion cutting machine as in claim 2, wherein a spring is engagedwith said one tube resiliently urging it outwardly relative to saidblade.

1. An onion cutting machine of the type wherein onions are impaled on aknife and held on a conveyor and advanced through a cutting device anddischarged, comprising in combination: a. a first endless chain carryinga plurality of onion holding cups in a desired path, b. a second endlesschain mounted above said first endless chain and carrying a number ofcorresponding impaling devices mating with said onion holding cups, c.said endless chains having a first path entering said machine whereinsaid paths converge, a second path wherein said paths run parallel toeach other and a third path wherein said paths diverge from each other,d. each of said impaling devices comprising a single onion impalingknife, a movable sheath surrounding each knife and resiliently urgedoutwardly beyond the tip of said knife and retractable to a positionwherein the blade of said knife extends beyond said sheath, e. meanswhereby onions can be placed in said onion cups and advanced into saidmachine so that said sheath first contacts an onion in a mating cup andsteadies it and is retracted relative to said knife and said knifepenetrates said onion as said paths further converge, f. said knifeholding said onion in said cups during the second path when the pathsare parallel to each other, g. cutting means adjacent to said parallelpaths whereby onions held in said cups and impaled on said knives arecut on said cutting means, and h. discharge means at the third portionof said path whereat said paths diverge and said sheath pushes outwardlyon said onion, pushing the onion from said knife to discharge saidonion.
 2. An onion cutting machine as in claim 1, wherein the blade hasa base end and a tip end, the sheath comprises a pair of telescopingtubes disposed in coaxial, surrounding relationship to the blade, one ofsaid tubes disposed at the tip end of said blade and movable relativethereto and the other of said tubes disposed at the base end of theblade and fixed relative thereto.
 3. An onion cutting machine as inclaim 2, wherein a spring is engaged with said one tube resilientlyurging it outwardly relative to said blade.